Process for producing heme proteins

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to methods for producing heterologous heme proteins extracellularly comprising transforming a filamentous fungus with a vector comprising a DNA sequence encoding the heterologous heme protein and a DNA sequence encoding a preregion permitting secretion of the expressed heme protein, and culturing the transformed filamentous fungus in a suitable culture medium to produce the heme protein.

This application is a divisonal application of application Ser. No. 08/315,671 filed Sep. 30, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,323, which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 08/119,077 filed Sep. 15, 1993 now abandoned, and claims priority of EP application Serial No. 91610022.5 filed Mar. 22, 1991, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a process for producing heterologous heme proteins in filamentous fungi.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The cloning and expression of varius heme proteins in bacteria has previously been described. Thus, S. A. Ortlepp et al., J. Biotechn. 11, 1989, pp. 353-364, describe the expression and characterisation of horseradish peroxidase C in E. coli. The enzyme is expressed intracellularly as an insoluble aggregate so that it has to be purified from lysed cells. Furthermore, the enzyme is not expressed in active form and must be folded separately in the presence of heme and Ca²⁺ to become functional. Similarly, A. T. Smith et al., J. Biol. Chem. 265(22), 1990, pp. 13335-13343, describe the expression of horseradish peroxidase C in E. coli. The recombinant enzyme has less activity than native horseradish peroxidase C and is produced in a yield of 2-3% (of the purified, active enzyme). S. Loprasert et al., J. Bact. 171(9), 1989, pp. 4871-4875, report the cloning and expression in E. coli of peroxidase A from Bacillus stearothermophilus. S. J. Hoffman et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87, pp. 8521-8525, describe the expression of functional human hemoglobin in E. coli. Z. Wang et al., J. Biotechn. 13, 1990, pp. 131-144, describe the cloning and expression of lignin peroxidase from Streptomyces viridosporus in Streptomyces lividans.

Expression of human hemoglobins in yeast (Saccharomvces cerevisiae) has been described by M. Wagenbach et al, Bio/Technology 9, 1991, pp. 57-61. In yeast, hemoglobin is expressed as a fully assembled, heme-containing tetramer. However, the protein is not secreted from the yeast cells, but remains in the cytoplasmic space and must be purified therefrom.

It would therefore be advantageous to select a host organism, such as a filamentous fungus, which is capable not only of producing heme proteins but also of exporting them through the cell membrane in active form, thereby simplifying purification procedures.

In recent years, procedures have been developed for the transformation of filamentous fungi, including Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus nidulans. U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,249 (Allelix) describes a general process for the transformation of A. niger, exemplified by the introduction of plasmids carrying genes encoding selectable markers. EP 215 594 (Genencor) describes the expression and secretion of various proteins in A. nidulans, using the signal sequences of different Aspergillus proteins to provide secretion.

Neither of these references indicates the possibility of producing heme proteins in filamentous fungi. On the contrary, M. Saloheimo et al., Gene 85, 1989, pp. 343-351, describe the cloning and expression of a lignin peroxidase from Phlebia radiata in Trichoderma reesei. The authors report that although lignin peroxidase mRNA is expressed in T. reesei, no protein product could be detected. They speculate that this might be ascribable to intracellular degradation by proteases due to incorrect folding of the protein in the absence of heme or to a different structure of the RNA interfering with its translation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has surprisingly been found that heme proteins may be produced in filamentous fungi in yields which far exceed those obtainable for the same protein in yeast.

Accordingly, the present invention relates to a process for the extracellular production of a heterologous heme protein in a filamentous fungus, the process comprising

(a) transforming a suitable filamentous fungus with a recombinant DNA vector which comprises a DNA sequence encoding a heterologous heme protein, and a DNA sequence encoding a preregion permitting secretion of the expressed heme protein, and

(b) culturing the transformed filamentous fungus in a suitable culture medium under conditions conducive to the production of the heme protein.

In the present context, the term "extracellular production" is understood to indicate that, contrary to the known methods of producing heme proteins in bacteria or yeast, the heme protein is secreted from the host cell into the culture medium and may readily be recovered therefrom. Apparently, the recombinant protein is able to incorporate heme produced by the heme synthetic pathway of the fungal host and may therefore be secreted by the host cell as a fully assembled, heme-containing protein. The term "heterologous" is meant to indicate proteins which are not, in nature, produced by the host organism in question. The term "heme protein" is intended to include any member of a group of proteins containing heme (e.g. protoporphyrin IX) as a prosthetic group. The term "filamentous fungus" is intended to include fungi belonging to the groups Phycomycetes, Zygomycetes, Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes or fungi imperfecti, icluding Hyphomycetes such as the genera Aspergillus, Trichoderma, Penicillium, Fusarium or Humicola.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The vector conveniently comprises DNA sequences encoding functions facilitating gene expression, typically a promoter, transcription initiation sites, and transcription termination and polyadenylation functions.

The promoter which may be preceded by upstream activating sequences and enhancer sequences as known in the art may be any DNA sequence exhibiting a strong transcriptional activity in filamentous fungi and may be derived from a gene encoding an extracellular or intracellular protein such as an amylase, a glucoamylase, a protease, a lipase, a cellulase or a glycolytic enzyme.

Examples of suitable promoters are those derived from the gene encoding A. oryzae TAKA amylase, Rhizomucor miehei aspartic proteinase, A. niger neutral α-amylase, A. niger acid stable α-amylase, A. niger glucoamylase, Rhizomucor miehei lipase, A. oryzae alkaline protease or A. oryzae triose phosphate isomerase.

The filamentous fungus host organism may conveniently be one which has previously been used as a host for producing recombinant proteins, e.g. a strain of Aspergillus sp., such as A. niger, A. nidulans or A. oryzae. The use of A. oryzae in the production of recombinant proteins is extensively described in, e.g. EP 238 023.

In particular when the host organism is A. oryzae, a preferred promoter for use in the process of the present invention is the A. oryzae TAKA amylase promoter as it exhibits a strong transcriptional activity in A. oryzae. The sequence of the TAKA amylase promoter appears from EP 238 023.

Termination and polyadenylation sequences may suitably be derived from the same sources as the promoter.

The techniques used to transform a fungal host cell may suitably be adapted from the methods of transforming A. nidulans described in, for instance, Yelton et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81, 1984, pp. 1470-1474, or EP 215 594, or from the methods of transforming A. niger described in, for instance Buxton et al., Gene 37, 1985, pp. 207-215 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,249, or from the method of transforming A. oryzae described in EP 238 023. In the process of the present invention, the host cell may be transformed with a vector system comprising a DNA sequence coding for a selection marker which is capable of being incorporated in the genome of the host organism on transformation, but which is either not expressed by the host before transformation or expressed in amounts which are not sufficient to permit growth under selective conditions. Transformants can then be selected and isolated from nontransformants on the basis of the incorporated selection marker.

Suitable selection markers may be derived from the A. nidulans or A. niger argB gene, the A. nidulans trpC gene, the A. nidulans amdS gene, the Neurospora crassa pyr4 or DHFR genes, or the A. niger or A. oryzae niaD gene.

Preferred selection markers for use in the present invention are derived from the A. nidulans or A. niger amdS or argB genes. Wild-type A. oryzae strains are usually ArgB⁺ (which means that the arqB gene is expressed in A. oryzae). Thus, if argB is chosen as the selection marker, an ArgB⁻ mutant strain of A. oryzae (which does not express the ArqB gene) must be used as the host organism. On the other hand, the amdS gene may be used as the selection marker in wild-type A. oryzae strains which do not express this gene in sufficient amounts to permit growth under selective conditions.

The preregion provided on the vector to ensure efficient direction of the expressed product into the secretory pathway of the host cell may be a naturally occurring signal or leader peptide or a functional part thereof or a synthetic sequence providing secretion of the protein from the cell. Thus, the preregion may be derived from a gene coding for a secreted protein derived from any source.

In particular, the preregion may be derived from a gene encoding an Aspergillus sp. amylase or glucoamylase, a gene encoding a Rhizomucor miehei lipase or protease, or a gene encoding a Coprinus sp. peroxidase.

The preregion is preferably derived from the gene encoding A. oryzae TAKA amylase, A. niger neutral α-amylase, A. niger acidstable α-amylase, A. niger glucoamylase, or a Coprinus macrorhizus or cinereus peroxidase.

The DNA sequences coding for the heme protein, preregion, promoter and terminator may be inserted in a vector containing a selection marker, or it may be inserted in a separate vector for introduction into the host cell. The vector or vectors may be linear or closed circular molecules. In one embodiment of the process of the invention, two vectors, one carrying the DNA sequence coding for the selection marker, and the other carrying the DNA sequences encoding the heme protein, the preregion and the functions facilitating gene expression, may be introduced into the host cell.

The heme protein produced by the process of the present invention is preferably an oxidoreductase, in particular a peroxidase, including a lignin peroxidase or Mn-peroxidase, or haloperoxidase. In a currently preferred embodiment, the DNA sequence encoding the peroxidase is derived from a Coprinus sp., in particular Coprinus macrorhizus or cinereus.

In another aspect, the present invention relates to a DNA construct comprising the DNA sequence shown in FIG. 1A-1B encoding a Coprinus sp. peroxidase, or a suitable modification thereof.

Examples of suitable modifications of the DNA sequence are nucleotide substitutions which do not give rise to another amino acid sequence of the peroxidase, but which correspond to the codon usage of the host organism into which the DNA construct is introduced or nucleotide substitutions which do give rise to a different amino acid sequence and therefore, possibly, a different protein structure which might give rise to a peroxidase mutant with different properties than the native enzyme. Other examples of possible modifications are insertion of one or more nucleotides into the sequence, addition of one or more nucleotides at either end of the sequence, or deletion of one or more nucleotides at either end or within the sequence.

The DNA construct of the invention encoding the peroxidase may be prepared synthetically by established standard methods, e.g. the phosphoamidite method described by S. L. Beaucage and M. H. Caruthers, Tetrahedron Letters 22, 1981, pp. 1859-1869, or the method described by Matthes et al., EMBO Journal 3, 1984, pp. 801-805. According to the phosphoamidite method, oligonucleotides are synthesized, e.g. in an automatic DNA synthesizer, purified, annealed, ligated and cloned in suitable vectors.

The DNA construct of the invention may also be of genomic or cDNA origin, for instance obtained by preparing a genomic or cDNA library and screening for DNA sequences coding for all or part of the peroxidase by hybridization using synthetic oligonucleotide probes in accordance with standard techniques (cf. Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, 1989) In this case, a genomic or cDNA sequence encoding the peroxidase may be modified at a site corresponding to the site(s) at which it is desired to introduce amino acid substitutions, e.g. by site-directed mutagenesis using synthetic oligonucleotides encoding the desired amino acid sequence for homologous recombination in accordance with well-known procedures.

Finally, the DNA construct may be of mixed synthetic and genomic, mixed synthetic and CDNA or mixed genomic and CDNA origin prepared by ligating fragments of synthetic, genomic or CDNA origin (as appropriate), the fragments corresponding to various parts of the entire DNA construct, in accordance with standard techniques. The DNA construct may also be prepared by polymerase chain reaction using specific primers, for instance as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,202 or R. K. Saiki et al., Science 239, 1988, pp. 487-491.

The invention further relates to a recombinant expression vector into which the DNA construct of the invention is inserted. This may be any vector which may conveniently be subjected to recombinant DNA procedures, and the choice of vector will often depend on the host cell into which it is to be introduced. Thus, the vector may be an autonomously replicating vector, i.e. a vector which exists as an extrachromosomal entity, the replication of which is independent of chromosomal replication, e.g. a plasmid. Alternatively, the vector may be one which, when introduced into a host cell, is integrated into the host cell genome and replicated together with the chromosome(s) into which it has been integrated.

In the vector, the DNA sequence encoding the peroxidase should be operably connected to a suitable promoter and terminator sequence. The promoter may be any DNA sequence which shows transcriptional activity in the host cell of choice and may be derived from genes encoding proteins either homologous or heterologous to the host cell. Examples of suitable promoters are those indicated above. The procedures used to ligate the DNA sequences coding for the peroxidase, the promoter and the terminator, respectively, and to insert them into suitable vectors are well known to persons skilled in the art (cf., for instance, Sambrook et al., op.cit.).

The invention also relates to a host cell which is transformed with the the expression vector of the invention. The host cell is a cell of a filamentous fungus, and is preferably a cell of an Aspergillus sp. as indicated above.

The medium used to culture the transformed host cells may be any conventional medium suitable for growing filamentous fungi. The transformants are usually stable and may be cultured in the absence of selection pressure. However, if the transformants are found to be unstable, a selection marker introduced into the cells may be used for selection. It has surprisingly been found that if hemin or a heme-containing material (e.g. hemoglobin or red blood cells) is added to the medium, the yield of heme protein may be significantly increased (cf. Examples 3-6 below).

The mature heme protein secreted from the host cells may conveniently be recovered from the culture medium by well-known procedures including separating the cells from the medium by centrifugation or filtration, and precipitating proteinaceous components of the medium by means of a salt such as ammonium sulphate, followed by chromatographic procedures such as ion exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography, or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described in the following examples with reference to the appended drawings, wherein

FIG. 1A-1B shows the cDNA sequence encoding a Coprinus cinereus peroxidase, and

FIG. 2 is a map of the vector pHD414.

The invention is further illustrated in the following examples which are not in any way to be construed as limiting to the scope of the invention as claimed.

EXAMPLE 1 Cloning of cDNA encoding a Coprinus cinereus peroxidase

Construction of a probe by PCR

Peroxidase CDNA fragments were prepared by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific oligonucleotide primers (R. K. Saiki et al. Science 239, 1988, pp. 487-491) constructed on the basis of the amino acid sequence of the Coprinus macrorhizus peroxidase. PCR was carried out using the Gene Amp kit and apparatus (available from Perkin Elmer Cetus, Norwalk, Conn., USA) in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, with the exception that the reaction was conducted at 28° C. for the first three cycles in order to obtain better hybridisation to the first strand CDNA (prepared from mRNA obtained from Coprinus cenereus, IFO 8371) and subsequently at 65° C. for 30 cycles of PCR.

The following specific primers were used for PCR:

                               T  T     1. 5'-GCGCGAATTCGTNGGNATNAACCACGG-3'                   A  A     2. 3'-TACAGNTTGACGGGNGGCCTAGGCG-5'                           A     T  T     3. 5'-GCGAATTCACNCCNCAGGTNTTCGACAC-3'                A        T  A     4. 3'-GGNAAGGGNCCNCTCAAGCCTAGGCG-5'                          A     5. 5'-GCGCGAATTCTGGCAGTCNAC-3'                          A     6. 5'-GCGCGAATTCTGGCAGAGNATG-3'                      T     7. 3'-CGNTACCGNTTCTACAGCCTAGG-5'

"N" denoting a mixture of all four nucleotides.

The primers were combined as follows: 1 with 2, 3 with 4, 5 with 7, 6 with 7, 1 with 4, 1 with 7 and 3 with 7. The PCR fragments were thus extended with an EcoRI site at the 5'-end and a BamHI site at the 3'-end. The PCR reactions were analysed on a 1% agarose gel. Bands of the expected size were found in all reactions. To verify that the bands corresponded to peroxidase-specific sequences, the gel was subjected to Southern blotting and hybridised to an oligonucleotide probe with the following sequence

                 T  A  A  A  T             5'-GTCTCGATGTAGAACTG-3'                     T

which is positioned between PCR primers 3 and 4. The probe was found to hybridise to bands of approximately 130 bp, 420 bp, 540 bp and 240 bp, thus confimrming that the DNA bands observed correspond to peroxidase sequences.

DNA from the various PCR reactions was digested with EcoRI and BamHI and cloned into the plasmid pUC19 (C. Yanisch-Perron et al., Gene 33, 1985, pp. 103-119). Colonies containing the correct PCR fragments were identified by hybridisation using the oligonucleotide probe specified above. DNA from positive colonies was analysed by restriction enzyme mapping and partial DNA sequence analysis as described by Sanger et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74, 1977, pp. 5463-5467. A 430 bp fragment from one of the clones, obtained by using primer 1 and 4, was used to screen a Coprinus cinereus cDNA library as described below.

Construction of a Coprinus cinereus CDNA library in E. coli

Total RNA was extracted from homogenized Coprinus cinereus (IFO 8371) mycelium, collected at the time for maximum activity of the peroxidase by methods as described by Boel et al. (EMBO J., 3: 1097-1102, 1984) and Chirgwin et al. (Biochemistry (Wash), 18: 5294-5299, 1979). Poly(A)-containing RNA is obtained by two cycles of affinity chromatography on oligo(dT)-cellulose as described by Aviv and Leder (PNAS, USA 69:1408-1412, 1972). CDNA is synthesized by means of a cDNA synthesis kit from Invitrogen according to the manufacturer's instructions. About 50.000 E. coli recombinants from the Coprinus cinereus cDNA library were transferred to Whatman 540 paper. filters. The colonies were lysed and immobilized as described by Gergen et al. (Nucleic Acids Res. 7, 2115-2135, 1979). The filters were hybridized with the ³² P-labelled 430 bp peroxidase-specific probe in 0.2×SSC, 0.1% SDS. Hybridization and washing of the filters was conducted at 65° C. followed by autoradiography for 24 hours with an intensifier screen. After autoradiography, the filters were washed at increasing temperatures followed by autoradiography for 24 hours with an intensifier screen. In this way, more than 50 positive clones were identified. Miniprep plasmid DNA was isolated from hybridizing colonies by standard procedures (Birnboim and Doly Nucleic Acids Res. 7, 1513-1523, 1979), and the DNA sequence of the cDNA insert was determined by the Sanger dideoxy procedure (Sanger et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74, 1977, pp. 5463-5467). The peroxidase cDNA fragment was exised from the vector by cleavage with HindIII/XhoI and was purified by agarose gel electrophoresis, electroeluted and made ready for ligation reactions. The cDNA fragment was ligated to HindIII/XhoI digested pHD414 to generate pcip in which the cDNA is under transcriptional control of the TAKA promotor from Aspergillus oryzae and the AMG terminator from Aspergillus niger.

Construction of the Aspergillus expression vector pHD414

The vector pHD414 is a derivative of the plasmid p775 (described in EP 238 023). In contrast to p775, pHD414 has a string of unique restriction sites between the promotor and the terminator.

The plasmid was constructed by removal of an approximately 200 bp long fragment (containing undesirable restriction sites) at the 3' end of the terminator, and subsequent removal of an approximately 250 bp long fragment at the 5' end of the promotor, also containing undesirable restriction sites. The 200 bp region was removed from p775 by cleavage with NarI (positioned in the pUC vector) and XbaI (positioned just 3' to the terminator), subsequent filling in the generated ends with Klenow DNA polymerase+dNTP, purification of the vector fragment on gel and religation of the vector fragment. The DNA was transformed into E. coli MC1061 as described above. 10 colonies (pHD413-1 to -10) were selected and analyzed by restriction enzyme analysis. One of the clones exhibiting the expected band pattern in the restriction enzyme analysis was used in the construction of pHD414.

pHD413 was cut with StuI (positioned in the 5' end of the promoter) and PvuII (positioned in the pUC vector) and fractionated on a gel. The vector fragment was purified, religated and transformed into E. coli MC1061. 12 colonies were selected and analyzed by restriction enzyme analysis. All 12 clones exhibited the expected band pattern. The plasmid pHD414 is shown in FIG. 2.

Transformation of Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus niger (general procedure)

100 ml of YPD medium (Sherman et al., Methods in Yeast Genetics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1981) was inoculated with spores of A. oryzae or A. niger and incubated with shaking at 37° C. for about 2 days. The mycelium was harvested by filtration through miracloth and washed with 200 ml of 0.6M MgSO₄. The mycelium was suspended in 15 ml of 1.2M MgSO₄. 10 mM NaH₂ PO₄, pH=5.8. The suspension was cooled on ice, and 1 ml of buffer containing 120 mg of Novozym 234, batch 1687 was added. After 5 minutes 1 ml of 12 mg/ml BSA (Sigma type H25) was added, and incubation with gentle agitation was continued for 1.5-2.5 hours at 37° C. until a large number of protoplasts was visible in a sample inspected under the microscope.

The suspension was filtered through miracloth, the filtrate was transferred to a sterile tube and overlayered with 5 ml of 0.6M sorbitol, 100 mM Tris-HCl, pH=7.0. Centrifugation was performed for 15 minutes at 100 g, and protoplasts were collected from the top of the MgSO₄ cushion. 2 volumes of STC (1.2M sorbitol, 10 mM Tris-HCl, pH=7.5. 10 mM CaCl₂) were added to the protoplast suspension and the mixture was centrifuged for 5 minutes at 1000×g. The protoplast pellet. was resuspended in 3 ml of STC and repelleted. This procedure was repeated. Finally the protoplasts were resuspended in 0.2-1 ml STC.

100 μl of the protoplast suspension was mixed with 5-25 μg of the appropriate DNA in 10 μl of STC. Protoplasts from the argB strains were mixed with pSal43 DNA (an A. nidulans argB gene carrying plasmid) and protoplasts from the argB⁺ strains were mixed with p3SR2 (an A. nidulans amdS gene carrying plasmid). The mixture was left at room temperature for 25 minutes. 0.2 ml of 60% PEG 4000 (BDH 29576), 10 mM CaCl₂ and 10 mM Tris-HCl, pH=7.5, were added and carefully mixed (twice) and finally 0.85 ml of the same solution was added and carefully mixed. The mixture was left at room temperature for 25 minutes, spun at 2500×g for 15 minutes and the pellet was resuspended in 2 ml of 1.2M sorbitol. After another sedimentation, the protoplasts were spread on the appropriate plates. Protoplasts from the argB strains transformed with pSal43 were spread on minimal plates (Cove Biochem.Biophys.Acta 113 (1966) 51-56) with glucose and urea as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, and containing 1.2M sorbitol for osmotic stabilization. Protoplasts from the argB-strains transformed with p3SR2 were spread on minimal plates (Cove Biochem.Biophys.Acta 113 (1966) 51-56) containing 1.0M sucrose, pH=7.0, 10 mM acetamide as nitrogen source and 20 mM CsCl to inhibit background growth After incubation for 4-7 days at 37° C. spores were picked, suspended in sterile water and spread for single colonies. This procedure was repeated and spores of a single colony after the second reisolation were stored as defined transformants.

Production of recombinant Coprinus cinereus peroxidase in an A. oryzae strain

pCip was transformed into A. oryzae A1560 (IFO 4177) by cotransformation with p3SR2 containing the amdS gene from A. nidulans as described above with a mixture of equal amounts of pCip and p3SR2 (approximately 5 μg of each). Transformants which are able to use acetamide as their sole nitrogen source were reisolated twice. After growth on YPD medium (Sherman et al. 1981) for three days culture supernatants were analysed by a peroxidase activity assay using ABTS (vide below). The best transformants were selected for further studies.

Production of peroxidase in S. cerevisiae

The peroxidase gene was isolated from pCip and introduced into the yeast expression vector pYHD5 in which the cDNA was under transcriptional control of the Gal 1-10 promoter and the α-factor terminator. A URA3 mutant yeast strain was transformed with the yeast expression plasmid by the LiAc procedure (in Yeast: A Practical Approach, I. Campbell and O. H. Duffus (eds.), IRL Press, 1988, p. 115). Transformants were selected on minimal agar plates without uracil and subsequently replica plated onto minimal agar plates without uracil, but supplemented with galactose (in order to induce the promoter) and tested for expression of peroxidase by Western blotting and by measuring the enzyme activity.

EXAMPLE 2

Comparison of the yields of Coprinus cinereus peroxidase from fermentation of wild-type Coprinus cinereus and recombinant Coprinus cinereus peroxidase (rCip) from fermentation of transformed S. cerevisiae and A. oryzae

Each strain used in this experiment was grown under optimised conditions and in optimised media for shake flask cultivation.

    ______________________________________     Coprinus cinereus (IFO 8371):                         Medium: 3 g/l yeast                         extract, 10 g/l peptone,                         0.2 g/l FeSO.sub.4.7H.sub.2 O, 1                         g/l MgSO.sub.4.7H.sub.2 O, 20 g/l                         glucose, pH = 7.0                         Growth conditions: 30° C.,                         180 rpm, 7 days     S. cerevisiae (rCip):                         Medium 10 g/l yeast                         extract, 20 g/l peptone,                         10 g/l glucose, 10 g/l                         galactose, 0.1 g/l                         FeSO.sub.4.7H.sub.2 O, pH = 5.0                         Growth conditions: 30° C.,                         250 rpm, 4 days     A. oryzae (rCip):   Medium: 5 g/l yeast                         extract, 2 g/l KCl, 1                         g/l NaH.sub.2 PO.sub.4.H.sub.2 O, 2 g/l                         Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4, 1 g/l MgCl.sub.2.6H.sub.2 O,                         2 g/l urea, 2 g/l citric                         acid, 0.2 g/l                         FeSO.sub.4.7H.sub.2 O, 20 g/l                         maltose, pH = 6.0                         Growth conditions: 37° C.,                         300 rpm, 4 days     ______________________________________

300 rpm, 4 days

Peroxidase activity was measured on a filtrated culture sample by a technique (described by R. E. Childs and W. G. Bardsley, Biochem. J. 145, 1975, pp. 93-103) involving hydrogen peroxide oxidation of ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid, supplied by Boehringer Mannheim as the diammonium salt) at pH=7.5, monitored at 418 nm. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide was 1 mM.

    ______________________________________     Strain       Yield of extracellular peroxidase     ______________________________________     Coprinus cinereus                  100%     (IFO 8371)     rCip         2-5%     (S. cerevisiae)     rCip         500%     (A. oryzae)     ______________________________________

The advantage of using A. oryzae to produce Coprinus cinereus peroxidase is even more pronounced in fed batch fermentation where the relative yield compared to that obtained from Coprinus cinereus is more than 2000%.

EXAMPLE 3 Production of recombinant Coprinus cinereus peroxidase in an A. oryzae strain in a fermentation medium containing hemin

pcip was transformed into A. oryzae A1560 (IFO 4177) by cotransformation with p3SR2 containing the amdS gene from A. nidulans as described above with a mixture of equal amounts of pcip and p3SR2 (approximately 5 μg of each). Transformants which are able to use acetamide as their sole nitrogen source were reisolated twice.

300 ml propylene shake flasks containing 50 ml ASP03 medium with the following composition

    ______________________________________     Yeast extract         1           g/l     Succinic acid         10          g/l     MgCl.sub.2.6H.sub.2 O 0.82        g/l     KCl                   1.83        g/l     NaH.sub.2 PO.sub.4.2H.sub.2 O                           1.01        g/l     NaSO.sub.4            1.8         g/l     Urea                  2           g/l     Citric acid           2           g/l     Trace metal solution  0.5         ml/l     Pluronic              0.1         ml/l     Water up to           1000        ml     pH adjusted to 6.00 with NaOH     ______________________________________

which had been autoclaved at 121° C. for 60 min. followed by addition of 20 g/l of maltodextrin and varying amounts of hemin (Sigma H-2250) dissolved in 0.01M NaOH and sterile filtered into the flasks through a 0.2 μm membrane at an alkaline pH (12), were inoculated with 1 ml of a spore suspension (approximately 10⁶ spores/ml) of A. oryzae transformants and incubated at 34° C. for 72 hours at 300 rpm.

The results are shown in the table below. Peroxidase activity was measured in PODU/ml. (1 PODU (peroxidase unit) is defined as the amount of enzyme that catalyses the conversion of 1 μmol H₂ O₂ per minute in a system where 2,2'-azinobis 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate! is oxidised in the presence of 1 mM H₂ O₂, pH 7.0, at a temperature of 25° C.)

    ______________________________________     Hemin conc. in                  Peroxidase activity after     in the medium                  72 hours.     ______________________________________     0             mg/l   300          PODU/ml     1             --     360          --     10            --     680          --     100           --     1000         --     1000          --     1029         --     ______________________________________

appears from the table that addition of hemin to the growth medium significantly increases the peroxidase yield.

EXAMPLE 4 Production of recombinant Coprinus cinereus peroxidase in an A. oryzae strain in a fermentation medium containing hemin and a surface-active agent

A. oryzae transformants obtained as described above were cultured as described in Example 2 in a medium to which Glanapon DG 160 (available from Bussetti) had been added as a surface-active agent before autoclaving. The results appear from the table below.

    ______________________________________                             POD act. after     Heme conc.   Glanapon conc.                             72 hours.     ______________________________________     0           mg/l     0       ml/l 300         PODU/ml     1           --       0       --   360         --     10          --       0       --   680         --     0           --       5       --   380         --     1           --       5       --   521         --     10          --       5       --   1480        --     ______________________________________

It appears from the table that the added Glanapon has an excellent synergistic effect with hemin on the peroxidase yield.

EXAMPLE 5 Production of recombinant Coprinus cinereus peroxidase in an A. oryzae strain in a fermentation medium containing hemin, hemoglobin or red blood cells

A. oryzae transformants obtained as described above were cultured as described in Example 2 in a medium to which hemin, hemoglobin (Merck Art 4300) or red blood cells (spray-dried mixed porcine and bovine red blood cells, food grade) has been added (before or after autoclaving). Hemoglobin and red blood cells were dissolved at pH 10.5 (NaOH) before autoclaving and sterile filtration. The results appear from the table below.

    ______________________________________               Peroxidase activity after 72 hours     Heme                     Autoclaved     source      Sterile filtered                              20 min. 121° C.     ______________________________________     Hemin       800         PODU/ml                                    448       PODU/ml     (10 mg/l)     Hemoglobin  1020        --     958       --     (1 g/l)     Red blood cells                903       --     (1 g/l)     ______________________________________

It appears from the table that heme sources, where the heme group is bound to globin results in a significant increase in the peroxidase yield. A further advantage is that they can be obtained very cheaply and that the heme group is protected against destruction during heat sterilisation.

EXAMPLE 6 Production of recombinant Coprinus cinereus peroxidase in an A. oryzae strain in a 2 liter fermentor in a fermentation medium containing hemoglobin

A. oryzae transformants obtained as described above were fermented in 2 liter laboratory fermentors in a fed batch process as follows:

    ______________________________________     Tank medium:   MgSO.sub.4.7H.sub.2 O                                2 g/l                    KH.sub.2 PO.sub.4                                2 g/l                    K.sub.2 SO.sub.4                                3 g/l                    Citric acid 4 g/l                    Trace metals                    Yeast extract                                1 g/l                    Pluronic    0,2 ml/l     Feed medium:   Maltose     250 g/l                    Yeast extract                                7 g/l                    FeSO.sub.4.7H.sub.2 O                                1 g/l                    Urea        20 g/l                    Pluronic    2 ml/1     Fermentation conditions:                    2,0 l fermentors                    Temp. 34° C.                    pH = 7.8                    pO2 > 20% by increasing                    agitation speed.                    aeration: 1 VVM                    Feed profile: 3 g/l × h 0-24 hours.                    6 g/l × h 24-144 -                    Inoculated with 50 ml 24 hour-                    old ASP03 shake flask culture.     ______________________________________

During sterilisation the pH was increased to 10.5 for tank medium and/or feed medium (if supplied with hemoglobin). The hemoglobin was autoclaved at 121° C. for 40 min. at pH 10.5. Before fermentation, the pH was adjusted to 7,8.

The results appear from the table below.

    ______________________________________                                Peroxidase yield     Fermentation              Conc of hemoglobin in                                after 144 hours     no.      tank medium feed medium                                    (in %)*     ______________________________________     74       0 g/l       0 g/l     100     78       1 g/l       0 g/l     117     79       5 g/l       5 g/l     250     115      (red blood cells) 300              5 g/l       10 g/l     26       (hemin sterile filtr.)                                117            50 mg/l     ______________________________________      *The yield of peroxidase in medium without added hemoglobin is arbitraril      set at 100%

It appears from the table that the yield of peroxidase can be increased significantly by adding hemoglobin to the fermentation medium. It have not been possible to obtain the same degree

of yield increase with hemin.

    __________________________________________________________________________     #             SEQUENCE LISTING     - (1) GENERAL INFORMATION:     -    (iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 9     - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:1:     -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:     #pairs    (A) LENGTH: 1307 base               (B) TYPE: nucleic acid               (C) STRANDEDNESS: single               (D) TOPOLOGY: linear     -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:1:     - TACTATGAAG CTCTCGCTTT TGTCCACCTT CGCTGCTGTC ATCATCGGTG CC - #CTCGCTCT       60     - ACCCCAGGGT CCTGGAGGAG GCGGGTCAGT CACTTGCCCC GGTGGACAGT CC - #ACTTCGAA      120     - CAGCCAGTGC TGCGTCTGGT TCGACGTTCT AGACGATCTT CAGACCAACT TC - #TACCAAGG      180     - GTCCAAGTGT GAGAGCCCTG TTCGCAAGAT TCTTAGAATT GTTTTCCATG AC - #GCGATCGG      240     - ATTTTCGCCG GCGTTGACTG CTGCTGGTCA ATTCGGTGGT GGAGGAGCTG AT - #GGCTCCAT      300     - CATTGCGCAT TCGAACATCG AATTGGCCTT CCCGGCTAAT GGCGGCCTCA CC - #GACACCGT      360     - CGAAGCCCTC CGCGCGGTCG GTATCAACCA CGGTGTCTCT TTCGGCGATC TC - #ATCCAATT      420     - CGCCACTGCC GTCGGCATGT CCAACTGCCC TGGCTCTCCC CGACTTGAGT TC - #TTGACGGG      480     - CAGGAGCAAC AGTTCCCAAC CCTCCCCTCC TTCGTTGATC CCCGGTCCCG GA - #AACACTGT      540     - CACTGCTATC TTGGATCGTA TGGGCGATGC AGGCTTCAGC CCTGATGAAG TA - #GTTGACTT      600     - GCTTGCTGCG CATAGTTTGG CTTCTCAGGA GGGTTTGAAC TCGGCCATCT TC - #AGGTCTCC      660     - TTTGGACTCG ACCCCTCAAG TTTTCGATAC CCAGTTCTAC ATTGAGACCT TG - #CTCAAGGG      720     - TACCACTCAG CCTGGCCCTT CTCTCGGCTT TGCAGAGGAG CTCTCCCCCT TC - #CCTGGCGA      780     - ATTCCGCATG AGGTCCGATG CTCTCTTGGC TCGCGACTCC CGAACCGCCT GC - #CGATGGCA      840     - ATCCATGACC AGCAGCAATG AAGTTATGGG CCAGCGATAC NNNNNNNNCA TG - #GCCAAGAT      900     - GTCTGTTCTC GGCTTCGACA GGAACGCCCT CACCGATTGC TCTGACGTTA TT - #CCTTCTGC      960     - TGTGTCCAAC AACGCTGCTC CTGTTATCCC TGGTGGCCTT ACTGTCGATG AT - #ATCGAGGT     1020     - TTCGTGCCCG AGCGAGCCTT TCCCTGAAAT TGCTACCGCC TCAGGCCCTC TC - #CCCTCCCT     1080     - CGCTCCTGCT CCTTGATCTG GTGAAGATGG TACATCCTGC TCTCTCATCA TC - #CCTCTTAG     1140     - CTATTTATCC AATCTATCTA CCTATCTATG CAGTTTCTGT TCTATCACCA CA - #GGAAGCAA     1200     - GAAAGAAAAA CAACAATGCA ACGTGAGCAG AAATCAGCAA AAAAATAAAT CA - #GTATACTA     1260     #              1307TTGC GTGGTGTCAG AAGTAAGTAC GACTCGG     - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:2:     -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:     #pairs    (A) LENGTH: 27 base               (B) TYPE: nucleic acid               (C) STRANDEDNESS: single               (D) TOPOLOGY: linear     -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA     -    (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO     -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:2:     #             27   ATNA ACCACGG     - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:3:     -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:     #pairs    (A) LENGTH: 25 base               (B) TYPE: nucleic acid               (C) STRANDEDNESS: single               (D) TOPOLOGY: linear     -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA     -    (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO     -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:3:     #               25 GTTN GACAT     - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:4:     -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:     #pairs    (A) LENGTH: 28 base               (B) TYPE: nucleic acid               (C) STRANDEDNESS: single               (D) TOPOLOGY: linear     -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA     -    (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO     -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:4:     #             28   GGTN TTCGACAC     - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:5:     -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:     #pairs    (A) LENGTH: 26 base               (B) TYPE: nucleic acid               (C) STRANDEDNESS: single               (D) TOPOLOGY: linear     -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA     -    (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO     -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:5:     #              26  CNGG GAANGG     - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:6:     -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:     #pairs    (A) LENGTH: 21 base               (B) TYPE: nucleic acid               (C) STRANDEDNESS: single               (D) TOPOLOGY: linear     -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA     -    (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO     -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:6:     #21                TCNA C     - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:7:     -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:     #pairs    (A) LENGTH: 22 base               (B) TYPE: nucleic acid               (C) STRANDEDNESS: single               (D) TOPOLOGY: linear     -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA     -    (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO     -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:7:     #                 22GNA TG     - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:8:     -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:     #pairs    (A) LENGTH: 23 base               (B) TYPE: nucleic acid               (C) STRANDEDNESS: single               (D) TOPOLOGY: linear     -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA     -    (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO     -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:8:     #                23CCAT NGC     - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:9:     -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:     #pairs    (A) LENGTH: 17 base               (B) TYPE: nucleic acid               (C) STRANDEDNESS: single               (D) TOPOLOGY: linear     -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA     -    (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO     -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:9:     #   17             G     __________________________________________________________________________ 

We claim:
 1. A process for the extracellular production of a heterologous heme protein in a strain of Aspergillus sp., the process comprising:(a) transforming a suitable strain of an Aspergillus sp. with a recombinant DNA vector which comprises a DNA sequence encoding a heterologous heme protein, and a DNA sequence encoding a preregion permitting secretion of the expressed heme protein, and (b) culturing the transformed strain of Aspergillus sp. in a suitable culture medium under conditions conducive to the production of the heme protein.
 2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the heme protein produced by the Aspergillus sp. in step (b) is subsequently recovered from the culture.
 3. A process according to claim 1, wherein the Aspergillus sp. is Aspergillus oryzae.
 4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the preregion is derived from a gene encoding an Aspergillus sp amylase.
 5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the preregion is derived from the gene encoding A. oryzae TAKA amylase, A. niger neutral α-amylase, A. niger acid-stable α-amylase, A. niger glucoamylase, or the peroxidase produced by Coprinus cinereus or macrorhizus.
 6. A process according to any of claims 1, wherein the heme protein is an oxidoreductase.
 7. A process according to claim 6, wherein the oxidoreductase is a peroxidase or a haloperoxidase.
 8. A process according to claim 7 wherein the DNA sequence encoding the peroxidase is derived from a Coprinus sp., in particular Coprinus macrorhizus or cinereus.
 9. A process according to claim 1, wherein the culture medium comprises hemin or a heme-containing material.
 10. A process according to claim 9, wherein said hemin is present in the medium at a concentration of between 1 and 1000 μg/ml.
 11. A process according to claim 9, wherein said heme-containing material is selected from the group consisting of hemoglobin and red blood cells. 